In Manacle, Arizona, a defense plant shuts down, causing many people to move out to find other work. An older married couple (Jane and unnamed husband) jumps at the opportunity to settle somewhere quiet and move into the area. Five days later, a grumpy old man comes by to tell them that something is wrong with the town: if you do a favor for anyone, they will turn against you. He explains that when he and his wife moved to Manacle four years prior, his wife began helping a struggling mother do her dishes because her baby was sick, but when the baby got better and his wife stopped helping clean up, the mother told everyone that she was a “nosy old fool.” The man himself had tried to help a person whose car broke down, only to be yelled at, cursed at, and sued. As a result, the old man put a curse on the town and stays to watch it work. After the old man leaves, Jane and her husband decide to drive to get groceries. On the way, a little girl next to a man’s body cries for help. As Jane’s husband reaches over to help the other man, the other man points a revolver in his face and steals their car. Jane and her husband try to hitchhike back home, but no one stops.  The police eventually catch the car-stealers, who lit the car on fire, and insurance provides a new car to Jane and her husband. They decide they no longer want to interact with people of the town and go off to relax on their property. Jane tells her husband about a letter from Mrs. So-and-so, who wants her to submit some of her paintings to an exhibit she is putting together. Her husband jokingly says that this would technically be a favor. He accidentally dislodges a rock as he reaches for his beer and sees a scorpion; then, he puts the rock back down so as to not disturb it—a favor. A few moments later, as Jane is painting her husband, the scorpion stings him between his shoulder blades, and his arms and legs get paralyzed. After the doctor delivers an antidote, Jane says that she is too afraid to send any paintings. They calm each other down and decide they are being paranoid. Jane decides to do the favor for Mrs. So-and-so after all. The couple travels to Mexico for the art show, and during dinner, a young boy approaches and offers to guard their car. The host says that they would be doing the boy a favor as his family likely needs the money, and Jane’s husband reluctantly agrees. As they drive back home, they receive a ticket for drunk driving; Jane’s husband has to appear in court and is fined a hundred dollars. They also realize that all the souvenirs they had bought have been stolen, the tires have been slashed, and the car has been defaced.  Upon arriving home, Jane and her husband agree to move elsewhere, that they’d be doing everyone a favor if they left. It begins to flood. They escape to higher ground, and a helicopter eventually rescues them. The rescue ranger points to the house of the “old grouch,” the old man who had told them about the curse, and says that he left before the rain started.